Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch
Waynesboro, Virginia, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 17, 2008
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
BV 0 0 0
TV 0 0 0
OS 11 54 70
BE 1 11 21
NH 3 5 7
SS 7 112 130
CH 2 17 21
NG 0 0 0
RS 0 1 1
BW 2106 3907 4150
RT 0 10 10
RL 0 0 0
GE 0 1 1
AK 1 53 57
ML 0 1 1
PG 1 5 5
UA 0 0 0
UB 0 2 2
UF 0 0 0
UE 0 0 0
UR 1 2 3
Total: 2133 4181 4479
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 18:15:00
Total observation time: 10.25 hours
Official Counter: Dave Hunter
Observers: Brenda Tekin, Vic Laubach, Wm. (Bill) Gallagher
Visitors:
Marshall ??? (Sorry, but unable to dicipher counter's note.);
Bill Gallagher, Jennifer Jody and Peter Brask
Weather:
Overall pleasant day that started out mostly cloudy and breezy (3 on
Beaufort wind scale) out of the NW that helped guide the flights of
Broadwing down our way. At 6:15 a.m. EST heading over the mountain to work
there was a dense ground fog in Rockfish Valley to the east. Counter Dave
Hunter arrived by 8 a.m. and reported a light veil of fog over the mountain
that did not linger. Winds diminished to 1 and then increased to 3-4 out of
the west by 12 p.m. and diminishing once again to 1 and clearing skies.
Morning temps fall-like with 20c dropping to 19c with a high of 24c.
Humidity: up and down throughout the day with high of 57% and low of 40%
before climbing back up 56% by late afernoon.
Bar.Pressure: 1018<1016
Raptor Observations:
Hats off to counter Dave Hunter who took the day off and headed to the
mountain by 8 a.m. Although the first hour yielded no birds, he was
rewarded with another spectatular flight throughout the day. The morning
flight of BW was as follows: 71(9-10); 241(10-11); 357(11-12 pm); and then
it came to a screeching halt during the next two hours with 1(12-1) and
4(1-2). A few more folks made it up including co-coordinator Vic Laubach
who was on board with Dave when the bulk of the BW passed through between 2
and 4 p.m. EST. For those who didn't stick around, I hate to be the bearer
of bad news. Sorry Bill. Between 2-3 p.m. the total BW count was 470 and
the highest hourly count occurred between 3-4 with 813. The last full hour
produced yet another impressive flight of 171 individuals, the bulk of them
in the first 30 minutes.
Only one BAEA, an adult at 9:57 a.m. and one Peregrine at 11:32.
The bulk of Osprey came through in the last hour with 7, including a close
group of five.
Last bird of the day was a low flying Osprey that managed to find enough
lift to slowly sail out over eastern slope of the ridge heading south.
Non-raptor Observations:
Monarch Butterfly numbers increasing but no official count conducted today.
Predictions:
sunny and mild temps
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Report submitted by Brenda Tekin (bt8x@xxxxxxxxxxxx)
Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA information may be found at:
http://home.ntelos.net/~btkin/rockfish_gap_hawk_watch
Site Description:
***Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, VA - Celebrating 30 years of Hawk Watching
Directions to site:
The Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch is held on the grounds of the Inn at Afton,
located on the southern side of Rockfish Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains,
just above where I-64 (exit 99) intersects with the southern end of the
Skyline Drive and the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, just east of
Waynesboro, VA and approximately 22 miles west of Charlottesville, VA.
